RandomCampaignGenerator

Me

irc: kthakore
gna: kthakore
forum: kthakore

My preferred email address is thakore.kartik|ATT|gmail.com.

I am a software engineering student at the University of Western Ontario. I would like to participate in the Google Summer of Code, because I have had this idea in my head ever since I first started playing Strategy Games and want to see it realized. I am just taking advance of GSoC to get my self to start working on this project.

Experience

Most of my work experience comprises of web application development with PHP/MySQL. Also I have experience working with C/C++. I have worked individually and within teams. Most of my web development projects were individual. I have experience working within ticket based system with SVN and Trac on a C/C++ code base where I created a version testing application. Moreover I spend some time hacking personal projects on my own. I am a self learner and learn technologies for requirement to finish my projects.

This is my first year in Google Summer of Code program.

Gaming Experience

I am an avid gamer and I play several genres of games. I play Wesnoth campaign wise when I have time. Otherwise, if I am busy I will play FPS games to unwind. I love games which have a well developed story in it. I believe that a good game plays as a good novel.

Communication

I am able to communicate efficiently in English. I have experience in communicating politely with forum and IRC members. I am a player myself, and I believe I will be able to relate to the players of Wesnoth.

Receiving and Giving Advice

My policy on giving advice is to only give advice that I would follow and do myself. As for receiving advice, I thrive on it to ensure that all my decisions are well rounded. After all I am creating this project for myself. However I believe that I can sort out useless advice based on the criteria or relevance, applicability and common sense. I think my time is valuable.

Project

I have selected this project myself after playing Wesnoth and other strategy games. The Project is two part first is the Procedural Map Generator and the second is random unit placement for strategy problems that the player can train on. This two combined will give a better random campaign generator for quick play, however this is not the focus of GCoS 2008.

Scope

For the summer of 2008 I will be focusing on the Procedural Map Generator. The rest of the project will be continued after the GCoS well into 2009. The timeline is showed below.

Overview

I propose to flesh out a procedural map generator (PMG) that consists of preset map generation and terrain strategy control. PWG first plans to improve the random map generator using previous efforts. PWG will provide writers with a simple scripting interface where they can specify features that will be required in the map. Moreover writers can decide who the map should favor in terms of terrain. The PWG will create points of interest beginning with the specifications, then inserting terrains that are favorable to some races then others, and then finally blending the terrains together to give the landscape a natural look.

Development Model

I believe the best development cycle with be iterative (spiral) model because it would ensure that the project will be well documented before design and development begin. Moreover it will reduce some of the time that would occur if the traditional waterfall model was used. Also I think a rigorous testing stage every iteration would be necessary to keep the project on track.

Basic Development Model:

- Design tests: this will ensure designs and code developed in this iteration are aimed and organized. The tests will also serve to refactor code by redesigning old tests.

- Develop to meet tests: This will keep development in scope and relevant

- Testing and update TODO lists

Rough Project Timeline

March 31st - hammer out an algorithm for the PMG and start some prototypes. (Also some Doxygen patches will help realize the project)

April - I have finals so no coding for me :{

May 08 - Start first serious development iteration of the PMG, (the tests will be well discussed in IRC and the forums)

      - Goals are to create a script parser for the maps